Caroline Lovett
Caroline is a modern figurative painter who paints stories that narrate and explore her feelings. She works mainly in oil, large scale almost biblical scenes inspired by emotionally charged events and rituals. She constructs her paintings around layered meanings and hidden narratives, where she believes ‘ often things that cannot be said can be painted instead’.
Her paintings are described as having a modern renaissance almost theatrical feel to them using both symbolism and myth to deconstruct themes of religion, repentance and alienation.
Using paint as ‘as a form of therapy’ she has described, her work as being ‘fathered by the street and mothered by the art’.
Her influences include many of the old masters but in particular Poussin, Zubaran, Reubens and Carravagio. More recent artists that she enjoys referencing are the likes of Paula Rego, Alice Neel and Ken Currie.
She explains that being raised by strict Irish Catholics in London in the 70s has informed much of the latent religious symbolism of her recent work and her fascination with the world of ritual and repentance.
Her paintings are constructed sometimes from imagination but more often from large scale pencil studies that she has gathered after planning and researching for many months.
She explains that she is fascinated by the psychology and behaviour of people in large blended families and groups. Her work often depicts large gatherings, social rituals and social constructs.
Caroline is self taught but now attends the Essential School of Painting on their two year Advanced Painting Course.
